Dallas: Planned Parenthood phone bank re: Supreme Court

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As you already know, President Bush has nominated Judge John Roberts to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. The next step is for the U.S. Senate to vote on whether or not Judge Roberts is the right person to fill this lifetime appointment.


We Need Your Help!
During the month of August, PPNT will be contacting Senator John Cornyn’s office to urge the Senator to ask Judge Robert questions during the confirmation hearing regarding his judicial philosophy, including his views on the constitutional right to medical privacy.


Please send an e-mail to [e-mail] if you are interested in volunteering for the phone bank. We are still working on specific dates, but we will most likely be calling from mid August to early September. Please also let us know if you would prefer phone banking during a weekday morning, afternoon or evening or on a Saturday.



What Happens When There is a Vacancy on the Supreme Court?
When a Supreme Court vacancy occurs, the president selects a nominee whose name is then forwarded to the Senate for consideration. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee (of which Texas Senator John Cornyn is a member) will hold a hearing to ask the nominee various questions on his judicial philosophy. For example, a Senator may ask Judge Roberts if he believes the U.S. Constitution guarantees a right to privacy. The Judiciary Committee will then recommend to the full Senate whether or not to confirm the nominee.


The hearings are expected to begin in early September (Congress is in recess during August) and could last a few days or weeks. It is important the hearings are thorough and give the American public an opportunity to learn about Judge Roberts' record and judicial philosophy. A confirmation to the Supreme Court is a lifetime appointment.


If the Senate Judiciary Committee votes to confirm Judge Roberts, the entire Senate votes on his nomination. If the majority of senators vote in support of the nominee, he is confirmed to the high court. If the nominee fails to gain the majority of the senators' support, the president submits another name to the Senate for consideration.


What is the U.S. Supreme Court?
The Supreme Court is located in Washington, DC and is the highest court in the U.S. There are nine justices on the court who serve for life. There is no mandatory retirement age and Justices retire from the court at their own discretion. Although a justice may be forcibly removed from office for misconduct, this has never happened.


The Supreme Court hears appeals from cases decided by the lower federal courts and State Supreme courts. One of the court’s most important functions is to determine whether a state or federal law conflicts with a provision of the U.S. Constitution. If the Supreme Court finds that a law conflicts with the Constitution, it declares the law "unconstitutional." From then on, the law is unenforceable.


Log onto http://www.saveroe.com/content/index.php?pid=35 for more information on the Supreme Court.

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